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7-wonders · 2 years

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Per Aspera Ad Astra (Duncan Shepherd)

Summary: Two years later after facing death at the hands of his uncle, Duncan is preparing to do the most difficult thing he's ever done.

Word Count: 2.2k

A/N: Here it is babies, the epilogue of Memento Mori. I'm happy with how it's ended, and I hope you are too! Let me know your thoughts, and thank you so much for reading.

Per aspera ad astra—Through hardships to the stars.

All prior chapters

Two years later…

The small park near the Potomac that Duncan Shepherd finds himself in could barely be considered a park. With D.C.’s money funneled into the areas surrounding the main attractions of the city, this little patch of land with a few trees and benches has been all but forgotten by the general public. There’s people that frequent the park, to be sure, but it’s just deserted enough to make it feel like he’s alone no matter where he is. Maybe that’s why he likes it so much.

Not only is it a nice, secluded park to be alone with one’s thoughts, but it’s also a nice, secluded park to have clandestine meetings at. Duncan waits under a tree that he’s so often been under in this position for, on the lookout for a contact for some sort of information exchange or other deal. As he checks his watch, noting that it’s now 4:33 when they were supposed to meet at 4:30, he’s reminded of when he was 18 and standing in this very spot, having been trusted to oversee an evidence exchange between himself and a cop on the family’s payroll.

He had been so nervous on that day. Today, he’s feeling those same nerves all over again.

Finally, a dark figure appears from the parking lot. Michael Langdon, dressed in all black with a dramatic red scarf wrapped around his neck, walks along the cracked sidewalk like it’s a runway at Paris Fashion Week. For Michael, most everything is his runway. Duncan has never met someone whom the saying “all the world’s a stage” applies to more than his oldest friend, his brother in everything but blood. Duncan can’t help but smirk as he shakes his head, crossing his arms over his chest and trying his best to look like he’s disappointed.

“We agreed on meeting at four-thirty,” Duncan says. “Does the sanctity of a set meeting time mean nothing to you?”

“Sorry. I have a good excuse, though.”

“Which is?”

“I didn’t want to be here.”

Duncan laughs and shoves Michael’s shoulder, the two getting into a small tussling match before remembering that they’re both grown adults and they should probably act like it. After they’ve straightened up, Michael looks at him.

“Well then? Do you have it?” Michael asks.

Duncan rolls his eyes, feeling almost affronted at the mere suggestion that he doesn’t have it. “Of course I do. You think I brought you out here for nothing?”

“Still a little confused as to why you had to bring me out here in the first place.”

“It’s not exactly easy to keep secrets from or around our family, Michael.”

Michael doesn’t even need to say anything, because Duncan’s right. The Shepherd family is great at keeping secrets from those that aren’t family, but within the family? If Annette were to find out about any of this a moment too early, she would immediately ruin the secret that Duncan has worked so hard to conceal. It would be out of love, he knows, but he still wants this to be perfect.

He needs this to be perfect.

Reaching into his jacket pocket, Duncan carefully grasps the small box that he’s carried around with him for over a week now, too paranoid to attempt to try and hide it anywhere in his apartment. At this point, the box’s very dimensions are familiar to him, with how many times he’s opened the box or simply held it for reassurance.

Duncan glances around both ways, paranoid that he’s being watched even though there’s no possible way and, as far as these types of meetings go, this is probably the most low-stakes one he’s been on. Once he’s sure that his fears have been assuaged, he opens the box for Michael to look into.

The ring is still just as beautiful as it was the first time that Duncan saw it. He had been looking for the perfect engagement ring for months, and was becoming increasingly frustrated at designs that, while certainly pretty, weren’t a ring that would fit Y/n’s personality. Nothing was totally right: either the design on the band was wrong or the diamond was too big or it just didn’t look like something that she would wear.

Finally, he finds the one, in an antique store that Y/n’s dragged him to on a cool September weekend. While she’s looking through collections of old photos and trying to convince him that the Victorian child of indeterminate gender is surely not going to haunt him if the photo ends up being bought (it won’t, not if he has any say), he spots it in a display case. A golden ring with delicate filigree twining around the band, small leaves fixed against the prongs in which a simple diamond is set.

It’s certainly not a traditional ring, but nothing about their relationship has ever really been traditional.

He had grabbed it while she was still distracted by the spooky, definitely haunted photos and faked having a work call so that he could escape to the front of the store and purchase the ring without her knowledge. The woman minding the shop was unable to stop smiling once Duncan whispered that this was going to be an engagement ring and asked her to ring the purchase up as quickly as possible. He was just thankful that she didn’t accidentally mention anything when he again came to the register, where Y/n purchased a couple of old photos that, while questionable, didn’t have any figures in them that would haunt their home.

From there, everything had gone smoothly. Duncan already knew Y/n’s ring size, and the jeweler he had used before was all too happy to provide a quick turnaround on resizing and fixing the minor imperfections on the ring. And once it was returned to him safely a week ago, he hadn’t let go of it.

Michael appraises it for a long moment, his face infuriatingly blank. Duncan shouldn’t care about Michael’s opinion on an engagement ring, but he does, because Michael is one of two people he’s closest to in the world. Finally, finally, Michael meets Duncan’s eyes and smiles.

“Perfect. You found it at an antique store, you said?”

“Yeah.”

“Even more perfect, because that means it’s unique.” Duncan puts the box back in his pocket, satisfied with the answer. “You did good, Duncan. She’ll love it.”

“You’ll be my best man, right?” Duncan blurts out suddenly, his mind apparently deciding that it’s now or never. When Michael doesn’t immediately respond, Duncan panics and tries to stutter out an explanation. “I mean, you’re really the only person who I could think of to stand by my side on the most important day of my life. You’ve been by my side for all my other important days, and–”

“Dunc,” Michael stops him with a hand on his shoulder, “of course I’ll be your best man. C’mon, did you even have to ask?”

He smiles. “I didn’t want you to think that you had it in the bag.”

“If you dared to even ask anyone else, I would kill them.” That’s not a joke, and they both know it. Still, they laugh. “But you know she has to actually say ‘yes’ first, right?”

Duncan nods, because of course he knows that.

And three hours later, as Duncan exits the restaurant with Y/n, still his girlfriend, he doesn’t think he’s even going to get the question out so that he can potentially be turned down. He had a plan. He was going to order her favorite type of wine, she was going to ask what the occasion was, and then he was going to get down on one knee and make her cry with his poetic proposal.

But then the restaurant didn’t have Y/n’s favorite type of wine, because he didn’t think to ask in advance if they could reserve a bottle for his table as well. And the suit that he had planned on wearing, the suit that he wears for every big event, wasn’t ready for pickup at the dry cleaners. And then he was late because of fucking traffic. At that point, when he finally made it to the restaurant to see her waiting patiently for him, he was already so upset at his plans being derailed that he decided to cancel his entire proposal idea for the night.

Y/n is none the wiser as they walk through the National Mall, chatting happily next to him about the latest book she’s been reading and the controversy surrounding the author on “BookTok.” The sun is beginning to set behind the buildings, casting a beautiful golden glow across everything it touches. The light catches Y/n’s eyes as she looks over at him to catch his reaction, and Duncan’s taken aback by how his breath catches in his throat at the sight.

This is it, he realizes. The moment that he’s been waiting for. It’s not what he had planned, but he knows it’s now or never, because there might never be a moment for him that screams “proposal” again.

“Y/n,” he calls her name, gently pulling her to a stop in the Constitution Gardens.

“What’s up?” she smiles at him, like she just knows he’s nervous about something. She probably does know, because she always knows.

“This…isn’t how I imagined any of this happening.” His hand goes into his pocket, and he grasps the box. “But then I thought, when has anything in our relationship gone according to plan?”

Her smile widens as she starts to get the hint of what’s happening. When Duncan gets down onto one knee, her mouth falls open. “Dunc,” is all that she can say, her tone warning that this had better not be a joke. As if he would ever joke about anything like this.

“I’m not the best with words, and you know that–I tend to talk with violence. We’ve been through so much together, and I can’t think of anybody else I’d have wanted to do any of the last three years with. And, after these three years, there’s nothing I’m more sure of than knowing that I want to do the rest of my life with you. So,” he opens up the ring box, “will you marry me?”

He’s barely finished asking the question before Y/n’s nodding and pulling him up to his feet and kissing him with a laugh. “Did you even have to ask?”

“Is that a yes, then?” Duncan’s grinning, already getting the ring out of the box and grabbing Y/n’s left hand so he can place the ring where it belongs.

“Yes. Of course I’ll marry you, Duncan.”

They kiss again, and then one more time for good measure. Y/n pulls back briefly to admire the new ring on her finger and how it’s glinting in the evening sun, and Duncan thanks the sunset for staying around for as long as it has.

“Y’know, I thought that you were going to propose at the restaurant.”

Duncan laughs like that wasn’t his plan and shrugs it off. “You really want to get married to me?”

“As if we’re not basically married already?” Y/n kisses him again, and Duncan’s sure that this is the best day of his life. “The only thing that changes after this is that now I can’t be forced to testify against you in court.”

“Is that right?” Y/n nods. “I should have put a ring on it two years ago, then.”

“You’ve rectified the mistake now, my love.”

Duncan grabs Y/n’s hand and swings her towards him, running his thumb over her ring.

“Should we head home, fiancée?” he asks. Y/n grins, pleased at the new pet name, and Duncan immediately files that away to use all the time now. “I’m sure there’s a lot of people that you want to call and tell the good news to.”

“That,” Y/n raises her eyebrows, “and we’ve got a lot of celebrating to do.”

She laughs as Duncan immediately nods, picking up the pace to get home now. Still, she’s not complaining, in fact, she’s jogging next to him, challenging him to actually break decorum and race her home. For her, he would.

Duncan Shepherd has worked hard to get to where he currently is in life. He’s quite literally shed blood, sweat, and tears in the process, and nearly lost his life multiple times. He’s faced heartbreak and loss, anger and grief, and thought that there would never be anything more for him than his work. Nearly running down the street with the woman who’s now his fiancée, both of them giddy with love and eager to get home and show each other just how much love they have, he knows that it’s all been worth it.

It’s all led him here, to the beginning of the rest of his life.

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xadoreyuu · 2 years

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~ hold your breath, love dive. [aemond targaryen]

this is my first fanfic!!! i didn't know whether to add images/gifs in for the aesthetic ™ or to just leave it blank but i thought the gif was pretty so that's my entire thought process lol. reader is afab with she/her pronouns if requested i will write non-binary characters however with the way westeros is i thought my first love dive into writing for the fandom would be with a female reader! i'd also love some feedback for this! it is obviously my first and i'd love some pointers on what you liked/didn't like about it!

premise: reader meets vhagar my queen. i personally chose a random house because even though the show likes inc*st i simply do not f*ck with it in my writing tho if you have any fic recs i'm not saying no... [2954 words]

The betrothal between houses Targaryen and Bolton was a choice not many had seen coming. You especially, you had went from a girl who was content with the fact your father would marry you off to some Lord and you'd live a life, you weren't sure if it would have been a happy one but it would have certainly been a life. You knew Aemond Targaryen was unpredictable, unstable even. He chose to claim a dragon as a preteen, stable wasn't something you'd use to describe him. He was chaos personified, like waves in the sea, uncontrollable and you weren't sure what your father thought he was getting out of the arrangement. (You knew what he was getting out of the arrangement: power and selling off his only daughter was clearly the only way he'd receive such notoriety.)

The arrangement wasn't horrific as you originally thought it would be, Aemond had seemed pleasant company though you were always in public, always chaperoned so the man could not spent time truly alone with you, while your father wanted to marry you did not have you own opinions or goals in life, he did not trust the man you were to marry fully. Nor did you. You knew the tales of the women his brother ruined the reputations of while his dutiful wife had to put up with his antics. You never knew how a man behaved behind closed doors, your brothers were a prime example of this for you. A prince was just a man after all and men were much different to the ladies you had spent time around. Kings Landing was entirely different in general, the styles, the hair, the people even, it was far too busy and put you on edge far too much.

They were dragons, both in sigil and temperament you had thought. Each member of the family was equally fiery and hard to read, comparing them to the creatures which set them apart so vastly was a correct comparison in your opinion. Being around them made you feel powerful, that nobody could cross you but you knew much better that politics can change in an instant — Rhaenyra and Rhaenys were proof of that. It scared you, being in the dragons pit.

Your time is spent with Helaena, she is a few years older than you though you think she is wise beyond her years, often telling you about the things she dreams about and often times speaks in riddles though you find her company more entertaining than most people. she understands you on a level which others do not, and you think in another timeline you would not be marrying her brother and she would not be married to her own husband, you would still be friends or perhaps more.

She doesn't want you today though, she claims she's ill with a sickness which is contagious — you'd get sick to spend time with her, you consider her your only true friend in this place, though Helaena being the kind sweet soul she is would never allow you to give yourself a sickness on her behalf and suddenly you're alone, the day grows boring, the library is unappealing, you can only walk around a garden — no matter the size of it so many times without growing bored. Needlepoint is tedious and you think you could not cope if your life was to be like this once you were married. The garden however is where you find him, alone. It's the first time you've spent time together alone and your palms feel sticky and your heart is beating out of your chest. You don't know how you'll survive within a marriage when you cannot speak to the man without wanting to run away due to shyness.

"You avoid me far too much," he's the first to speak, you doubt words could process from your brain to your mouth to do so, "Do I scare you that much?"

You do not want to answer at first — perhaps he's talking about his presence or rather to the scars he could not help, but you're strong, you're from the North and Northern girls aren't typically timid nor shy, "Why would I do that my Prince?" you can see how it would consider it mocking but the playful tone in your voice indicates your intent. "Am I too fast for you to catch?"

You doubt you've thrown him off guard, though maybe that's why he had chosen you, "Do you think you are fast enough to outrun a dragon?" he asks,

"I do not know, you see I've never met a dragon nor seen one to know how fast they can be... though I have no doubt I can outrun one" you're being cocky, or perhaps you're flirting, you do not know which one would be better though you seem to amuse the price in question.

"Would you like to see one?" you don't know if it's a euphemism or if he's being serious, perhaps he does have a sense of humour after all.

"Hmm... I'm not too sure they would take kindly to those who aren't of Valyrian blood, what if one tries to eat me... I've heard the tales of the dragon who resides on Dragonstone who eats its own kind and humans alike." you're teasing him, who wouldn't want to see a dragon? You'd encounter them eventually you surmised, it was hard to live in a family with such beasts without doing so.

"You know of the Cannibal?" his interest had piqued at that, your time with his sister had clearly came with advantages, learning more about the Targaryen family, the dragons owned (and not) by his family had interested him, next you'd surprise him by speaking Valyrian.

"Only what her grace, your sister, had told me about it, that apparently the dragon is older than Balerion the black dread — though it seems unrealistic and hearsay, your father rode him once did he not? Balerion I mean,—" your sentence was cut short by the prince, who was seemingly not paying attention to you, it was awkward for a few seconds before he excused himself.

Aemond had seemingly looked off to the side, as if being summoned though you didn't pay it much mind, the two of you were having an enjoyable conversation (well in your personal opinion, the prince may have just been conversing due to the fact his family didn't want the arrangement to sour due to his or your behaviours). Though he had pulled away at seemingly the last second, muttering an apology and leaving you in the garden alone.

As fast as he'd disturbed your peace he disappears almost as abruptly almost making you wonder if you'd spoken out of turn and offended him somehow. And you could not help but notice how much lonelier you had become without his presence.

Some days had passed and the interaction with Aemond had lived within your head, when you weren't needed or doing something you'd thought back to the conversation, he was a seemingly lovely match and paid attention to you. Not that you could say the same for your parents, they hadn't know where you were or what you were doing most of the time, they only lectured you into behaving around the royal family, ladies do not laugh loudly, ladies do not spend more time daydreaming than needlepoint and ladies certainly do not frolic around the gardens unchaperoned. Helaena hadn't miraculously recovered which meant your family continued to lecture you. Perhaps they were more irritated about the fact you weren't strengthening the bond of both families to ensure the marriage as your mother had kindly put it. You were aware you family wanted more power but the possibility of you getting sick while they were heightening their station could not have occurred to them.

Your days continued to be as boring as ever without Helaena's company you were beyond restless, your parents had told you to behave far too many times, so much so you could recite their speeches. Though it didn't stop you from wandering alone — again. You wouldn't be shocked if it got back to them — again. However just as the last time you were alone Aemond Targaryen once again approaches you. Cockily as ever though being a Prince of the Seven Kingdoms and having the largest dragon could perhaps have that effect on ones self confidence.

"Lady Bolton, you are the exact person I was looking for," he once again spoke again, he often left you speechless, from his undeniable beauty to the confidence he exuded — you had found out he wasn't always this way, gaining Vhagar had changed him and you surmised it was most likely for the better. "If you can recall we spoke about dragons and I have reconsidered the terms of our arrangement."

This made your blood go cold, you were certain you had not offended the Prince, though with the way he'd looked at you during meal times you could see how speaking about the dragons which were an extension of his family could offend him. "Have you spoken to my father about this?" He wouldn't be happy, you knew him well enough to know that.

"You misunderstand me, my Lady," you were sure your heart would have stopped if it was not for the words he spoke, "I cannot marry you without being certain."

It was not a good conversation to be had and you were almost panicking and you were certain you saw a taunting glint within his eye, "I can assure you, our union would be fruitful and you would be happy." You've been taught what it takes to be a wife from your mother but she had never explained what it truly entailed, your words feel rehearsed and panicked and came out of your mouth far too fast.

"I cannot be happy without being certain that you could handle this life," you're not sure what he's talking about, you've handled court well, made friends, were well liked by most people, and before your mind drifted somewhere else to think of every single misdeed you'd done, he spoke again, "The dragons are loyal, they want to protect their riders, Vhagar especially so," there was something in his tone which told you, you were missing the context of this statement, "I would like you to meet her, hopefully she won't harm you."

You weren't sure what to think, on one hand seeing the marvellous and beautiful beast that she was, was a once in a lifetime opportunity, on the other hand you could be hurt, or worse. It was seemingly a deal breaker to Aemond, if you chose to say no he could easily break off the engagement without remorse, he's a man, they never face the repercussions of their own actions.

"When do you wish to plan this meeting?" you asked, you didn't fear much, and if a dragon harms you, burns you or eats you, you supposed there was worse, less dignified ways to have your life ended.

"I was heading there now and while you are unoccupied I had asked your father's permission," he can't say no to a prince, out of fear of offending, you knew that much.

"With the way some at court speak of you Aemond, I'm surprised you asked for permission," the playful tone in your voice was evident that you truly did not believe court gossip. "How could I ever say no to meeting the eldest dragon known to man? If she eats me it would be a happy day for me."

He finds you amusing, you can tell, he's pokerfaced but you can always tell by the subtle way his body moved closer to yours, "I hope she chooses not to, it would be a sad day and I'm afraid I would not know what to say to your father about the occasion, his only daughter, eaten by a dragon, however would he recover?"

"You don't know my father like I do, he'd spin some tale that I was courageous and chose to fight a dragon and paid for it with my life." Your divulging far too much about your personal family life now, you're giving him too much insight and unnecessary information which could be used against you in a moments notice. "However, I am not going to let a dragon eat me today, my outfit simply will not allow it."

The journey to the largest dragon currently roaming freely was not as daunting as you'd originally thought, the nervousness you were feeling in your stomach hadn't subsided though you could almost feel the anticipation radiating off of Aemond. Perhaps he wanted a show, perhaps he wanted to see how you'd react to such a magnificent creature or perhaps he wanted to see her burn you alive.

She was there, laying and looking lethargic or maybe she was simply not wanting to live life anymore, she was beyond the size you had imagined, though something about her looked gentle. She hadn't harmed Aemond when she was a child and this made you feel safer, along with her owner being there, maybe he'd calm her with his presence. "Are you bonded to her?"

"In what way?" Aemond asks, keeping you behind him while he speaks in Valyrian — words you can't understand but if you were to have children in the future you should take note to learn.

"Can you feel what she feels, can she always feel your presence? Does she know when you're in trouble?" The questions come from your mouth before you can stop them, "You're speaking to her right now, are you not? Are you telling her to be on her best behaviour?"

"Did you not know we're always on our best behaviour." His response had made you laugh, you couldn't help it, if it had came from any other person you would have believed it. "Do I amuse you?"

"Yes very much so," Vhagar is stirring now, being so big she looks heavy to even move her head properly, you'd fear her moving her body without injuring anybody within the surrounding area. "It's a good sign she hasn't eaten me yet, isn't it."

"Don't be fooled by her, she's cunning but she favours the brave." he spoke.

"Would she consider me brave if I were to touch her?" You ask, already moving forward however Aemond hadn't chose to stop you, perhaps he thought you too foolish for your own good.

"Isn't that what we're here for? You're to meet her and she chooses if we marry." Now you knew the motive. There was so much more than what met the eye with Aemond and you'd do well to remember that.

Taking slow and steady steps towards Vhagar was the easy part, she had emitted heat, much like the dogs your father chose to keep around in the Dreadfort. It was hard to stay away from her, she was utterly captivating and it did not stop you from placing a hand on her. You don't doubt that you looked like an ant to her, tiny and easy to destroy with one singular movement however she stayed in place, letting out what sounded like a sigh. It was a good sign for you to continue touching her, it's not at all what you had expected her to feel like, she had felt warm and inviting despite her intimidating appearance. She was like her owner in more ways than he'd ever let the world know.

"You weren't serious about her eating you, were you?" Aemond asks, while you're completely mesmerised by how big and docile she was, your hand still holding the dragons warm scales while Aemond's presence was felt closely behind you.

"Seeing her up close, I fear I misjudged her," and you goes unsaid. "She seems lonely and I wish she had more company, do you keep her company often? When you're not at court?"

"I suppose I too would be lonely if I lost Balerion and Meraxes." He confesses, "But she is well taken care of, I can assure you."

"There's tales of you claiming her, that you were a child and the only one brave enough to go near her," the stories are fabricated most of the time, "That you lost the eye for the dragon, was it worth it?" you hadn't approached the topic of his long gone eye, though you fear you may have offended him when he does not speak straight away.

"A dragon is a great price for something so small as losing an eye" he spoke though you can tell there's melancholy within his tone, you were so close now, incredibly so, never had you been so close to a man. "It does not frighten you does it?"

"You lost an eye for a dragon, why would that frighten me, my prince?" it's a question he can't answer because he's the one who's finally speechless. "Are you fulfilled in the answer you so desperately sought from this encounter?"

"I think I have all the answers I need," he had pulled you away from Vhagar ever so gently, it was the softest you had ever felt the man, "I shall tell your father we shall be married as soon or as late as you wish to do so."

"When we are married will you let me fly with you?" the answer was unspoken, he'd take you to the ends of beyond the wall if you so much as wished it. Perhaps the marriage was the perfect match despite being arranged, he'd found somebody as equally obsessed with dragons as he'd once been.

#aemond targaryen #aemond one eye #aemond targaryen x reader #aemond targaryen imagine #hotd imagine #hotd x reader #house of the dragon imagine #house of the dragon x reader #asoiaf imagine #asoiaf x reader #will i hate this in a few hours? maybe or maybe i'll love it #i hope you guys enjoy it!#it felt like an expo dump tho and im like ah you can 100% tell what writing im versed in #and let me tell you it's not fanfic #im team green till im gone btw #dont get it twisted the blacks are not it ™#til aemond only survived till 20 so yikes #writing more in this kinda universe might be on the cards for me so if you wanted anything wrote with this pairing just req it!#i tried to make mc likeable but also not so timid and shy because in my headcanon aemond is very much not attracted to that vibe #but also i headcanon him as demisexual?#or maybe im just projecting #the clown in me wanted to name this 2 baddies 1 dragon

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